Sticking it to the US fuel companies

[mountainman 0]

Have you been in one of the cars (US cruiser) before?? I witnessed an accident a couple months ago and sat in one while filling out a report. They have SO MUCH crap in there that they almost NEED the big car. They have computers, video cameras, radar guns, etc, etc, etc....
I have been to Europe twice and have seen them in the much smaller cars. True that the sirens sound pretty "wussy"...(WEE-UU WEE-UU WEE-UU), but they don't seem to have much problems because you don't have the SUVs and such there. I spent time in Trondheim and Olso, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; Malmo and Stockholm, Sweden; and Helsinki, Finland. Most places had the little cars or the mini-vans.
I guess I'm just saying that the cops here almost need the big cars for all of their crap, but I've seen the cops with Luminas do just fine.
All in all, I think it's the C.O.P.S. theory!!
MORE SKYDIVING PHOTOS ADDED!!!
http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/

[Zennie 0]

Quote

The Police Officers there typically drive smaller, more economical cars, and if Im not mistaken, have pretty good results.

Yeah, but how many Europeans take the cops on high-speed chases in souped-up Mustangs and Camaros?
I don't have a big problem with the big police cruisers. If anything, I'd add front mounted TOW missles to them so they can just take out any idiot that tries to run and endanger the rest of the driving public.
And yes, for those of you that have noticed by the tone of my recent posts, I've been in a rather foul mood lately. Must have something to do with the fact that I only have 3 jumps in the last 2 weeks.
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

[SpeedRacer 1]

Regarding whether or not you should skydive, b/c it might hurt the environment:
It all depends on how far you want to take things. You can give up eating meat, skydiving etc., and I suppose you'd be helping the planet and all...
Or you could get REALLY extreme like these people ( I call them left-wing puritans) who go around with an attitude that you should despise yourself for being in Western society at all, or for being American, or white, or even a human being, etc.. and wear T-shirts that say "Save the Planet- Kill yourself!" Yeah, I'd like to see these little nehilistic, snot-nosed, trust-fund commies teach that one by example...
Being socially conscious is good and everything, but damn, at some point you've gotta kick back and enjoy life a little. Eat a nice juicy steak, chug a few beers, have some great sex, jump out of a few airplanes, etc.. I just don't see the point in living any other way.
Damn, Look where this thread has gone. I apologize for even starting it !
Speed Racer
Brew Skies

[Greg 0]

Quote

Yeah, but how many Europeans take the cops on high-speed chases in souped-up Mustangs and Camaros?

No need to chase them with a car when you have helicopters......this is the safest way.

[PalmettoTiger 1]

Quote

I would have you look at our European friends. The Police Officers there typically drive smaller, more economical cars, and if Im not mistaken, have pretty good results.

But most of the civilians' cars there are similarly small. (Or not? Could a few of the funny-talkers, er, Europeans check my facts here?)
I think it all comes down to the Tragedy of the Commons - when there's an abundance of one resource or opportunity, and no single entity or person owns it, everyone uses more than their fair share thinking "there's so much of it... what's the hurt if I take a little extra?" In this situation, the common resource is space. Many Europeans drive smaller cars and have smaller houses/apartments because population densities are so much higher there. (Also the gas taxes make smaller cars more financially attractive.) Here, we drive big cars, build huge highway systems, and live in proportionally larger homes because it's not particularly crowded in the US. For example, I think Germany has an area the size of Montana but several times as many people. Japan is about the same size as California but also has a much higher population.
The "Tragedy of the Commons" problem is pretty interesting - it crops up everywhere from rivers, where people litter and pour all kinds of pollutants into it, to Gnutella (a file-sharing program similar to Napster), where 15% of the users are sharing 85% of the files - everyone else is basically leeching without offering anything of their own.
Okie doke, off the soapbox and back to work.
Blues, squares,
PTiger

[PalmettoTiger 1]

Quote

He is hopeing to do some wind tunnel stuff sometime instead.

Does he know how much pollution is generated by the power plants that make electricity for the VWT?!?!?!
Blues, squares,
PTiger

[Greg 0]

Quote

I think it all comes down to the Tragedy of the Commons

agreed, damn shame though!
As far as the original post goes, personally, I dont believe a "boycott" of larger oil companys would work, I believe we, as a group, as consumers, need to lower our consumption. Can you imagine that big fat oil rich Opec Sultan laughing his ass off at us counting all that money!! But unfortunatly, its kinda like the "golden Rule" he who has the gold (or oil in this case) makes the rules!!

[Iflyme 0]

Quote

god you guys are talking a load of crap. (no offense) but isn't this forum about skydiving????

Nobody is asking you to participate. If you don't like this thread, then don't read it. But don't try to dictate the subjects we discuss. As for your suggestion that this is "a load of crap", some of us have a social conscience...

[skreamer 1]

Quote

Whether skydiving related or not - this is the place to make idle chit-chat!

Alan, that is taken from the header to this forum - if you don't like the topic of a particular thread, then don't read it or post to it. It really is as simple as that.
/s

[SpeedRacer 1]

Maybe he meant "crap" in a good way !!
Maybe shoveling politics doesn't make the world a better place.
I lost my social conscience when my karma ran over my dogma...
lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala

I guess I didn't jump enough last weekend....
Speed Racer
Brew Skies

[skreamer 1]

Quote

Damn, Look where this thread has gone. I apologize for even starting it

Why??? Nobody has been abusive, some very differing opinions have been expressed and everybody is now a little more aware of the world around them.
Damn fine thread IMHO!
/s

[Iflyme 0]

Quote

Damn fine thread IMHO!

Agreed!!! While skydiving may be the BEST thing, it isn't the ONLY thing...

[huffermoose 0]

in reply to myself
"god you guys are talking a load of crap. (no offense) but isn't this forum about
skydiving???? "
I apolagise for my self, i guess i'm just grouchy have not had a jump in 4 weeks, have not seen beer, women or land in 4 weeks, so thats me trying to un*uck the situation i got myself into
goodnight Allan

[Zennie 0]

Quote

Damn fine thread IMHO!

Yep. This is a fun one. But it's starting to get so long that I'm going to.......
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

[Greg 0]

Quote

Damn fine thread IMHO!

Agreed, I love a good conversation, I also enjoy (but may not always agree with) differing points of view. It does wonders for personal perspecticve. When it gets a little scary is if alcohol is introduced into the mix.....otherwise, dissagreement is healthy, shows your thinking.

[skreamer 1]

Dude,
Next week you will be smelling jet fumes and tasting sweet crisp air after some awesome exits from the kick-ass Let at Langar. Knocking back Stella after Stella after Stella at Chuckles and talking absolute bollocks. Then on Thursday you and me are going to get on that plane to Amsterdam, hook up with Ben and Wingi and then HOOOOOOOO-WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! partypartypartypartypartyparty
Hmmmm, maybe somebody should warn the good folks at Texel : "INCOMING!!!"
We are going to get rat-arsed and we won't 'please explain' ourself to anybody. You and I will grab Ben and wingi in a death-grip and take them on the 4-way from hell (hee hee), our hawaii shirts are going to reach legend status on that DZ.
Only one week to go, so don't sweat it man!
/s

[huffermoose 0]

Skreamer old son you have just given me enough will to make it through to next tuesday, the first jump i'm gonna do is an absolutely unstable exit, and i am going on to my first sports rig which shouldd be fun (am using phil curtis's demo for the week) so a few practice pulls and then start really messing about up there.
cummmmmmmmon
the moooose has landed,
i'm gonna partty,
i'm gonna talk Codshit to everyone.
i'm gonna snort tequila
drink flaming sambucas
smoke cigars the size of oklahoma
and practice doing fly mans to innocent strangers
woooohohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooo.
ahhhhhhhhhh i feel rested now after that out burst
cheers moooooooooose

[Zennie 0]

Quote

i'm gonna snort tequila

Tequila? Did someone say tequila? Tequila make me muy loco.
Hope y'all can get the good stuff way across the pond. That's one of the advantages of living in Tejas.
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

[huffermoose 0]

mostly we get the crappy white tequila but give me a bottle of the golden stuff worm and all i'll drink that you know how normal people drink tequila i.e salt tequila lemon i have a mate of mine (he's kinda starnge) he does something called iron man tequila and what you do is snort the salt drink the tequila and then squidge the lemon in your eye, me thinks he has a few screws loose (and he says i'm a nutter for jumping out of planes)
(he can also floss his nasal cavity with a condom quite disgusting )
moooooooooose

[PalmettoTiger 1]

Quote

Tequila make me muy loco

d00d, last time I had tequila was... uh... well the actual last time was when we were tailgating at the Jimmy Buffett concert back in Feb. But the last time I had tequila and it turned into a funny story was my senior year in high school. I hadn't eaten dinner before doing 2 hours of intense taekwondo, so my stomach was completely empty. I got to the party a little late, and decided to immediately pick a fight with 2 double shots of Jose Cuervo (hey, I needed to catch up). Those little bastards ganged up on me and kicked my a$$.
they jumped me when I followed my friends outside for a smoke break. I ended up lying prostrate and helpless on the lawn, with that "I'm really nauseous but as long as I don't try to stand up I won't boot" feeling. Then my friends finished their cigarettes and went back inside, but unfortunately I wasn't quite ready to try to re-learn walking. The worst thing was that the fusking automatic sprinklers came on, two of them right beside me. Note: at this point I am still too blitzed to figure out where everyone is and too nauseous to attempt crawling. I ended up rolling to a mostly dry part of the lawn and laying there for about 45 minutes until I felt better.
Ahh, the memories. High school... the "good ol' days."
Blues, squares,
PTiger

[what42 0]

Quote

he does something called iron man tequila and what you do is snort the salt drink the tequila and then squidge the lemon in your eye,

Ouch...that is disturbing. At least what we do for fun isn't painful. (at least it's not supposed to be)
Wesley
--
I want to fly!

[Iflyme 0]

Quote

the last time I had tequila and it turned into a funny story was my senior year in high school. I hadn't eaten dinner before doing 2 hours of intense taekwondo, so my stomach was completely empty. I got to the party a little late, and decided to immediately pick a fight with 2 double shots of Jose Cuervo (hey, I needed to catch up). Those little bastards ganged up on me and kicked my a$$.

Ha!!! That is rather similar to my "I'll-kill-ya" story. Last night of high school, June 1980. Party at a buddies place. I'm working at the gas station that night, so when I get off and get to the party, I have some catchin' up to do. I drank a 26er via the salt and lemon thing in a VERY short time ... good for a few hours, but for the next 20 years, even the word "tequila" makes me feel sick... BLAH and DOUBLE BLAH!

[freefallfreak 0]

Ok you bunch of skydiving ecologists,
Time to go to part two...Zennie has done it again and if ya check there, ya' might get a chance to flame me...tee-hee
FFF